MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES FACE EUROPEAN WIDE LANGUAGE PROTESTS

Following a successful conference in Euskal Herria (Basque Country) over the weekend (24/11/05 – 26/11/05), a new international network of campaign groups for minoritised languages has been formed, and the anti-colonisation movement Cymuned has warned multinational companies that do damage to the Welsh language that they face international protests.

‘The new network looks to have extremely strong foundations,’ says Aran Jones, Cymuned’s Chief Executive, ‘and one of the first subjects to be discussed was the arranging of international protests against companies that do damage to the language of any of the group’s members. For example, IKEA has an unacceptably poor Basque language policy, and now faces the very real possibility of protests against the company in Euskal Herria, Galicia, Catalonia, Breizh (Brittany) and Cymru. In the same way, companies such as Asda, who want to open a new branch in Pwllheli, will have to work much harder than present to make sure they have a positive effect on local culture and language, or they will be targeted by protests across Europe.’

The new network will take part on the next European Social Forum, in Athens in April 2006, when the group’s constitution will be launched.

‘There is no representation at the European level of groups which campaign in favour of minorities languages,’ says Dr Seimon Brooks, Cymuned’s representative on the network’s constitutional development panel. ‘Instead, we have institutionalised, governmental groups praising their own work and claiming to represent entire language communities. This new network will put a stop to that.’

For more details, contact Cymuned’s office on 01758-612712.